THE Tarlac City General Hospital will not be operational this year contrary to the claim made by the previous administration, as there are still a lot of construction to be done especially in the hospital’s main building.
The assessment was made by the staff of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Tarlac in a press briefing conducted at the 2.6-hectare hospital grounds attended by newly installed City Mayor Susan Yap, Department of Health Provincial head Maria Noel Borromeo-Lim, and representatives from the Tarlac Provincial Hospital, afternoon of June 30.
According to the DPWH, the supposed 108 bed capacity hospital will likely be operational by 2027 and not this year because of funding requirements and the condition it is in right now.
The DPWH likewise said that city hospital has already incurred P1.135-billion in expenses including funds coming from the city government and around P280-million is still needed to be allocated to finish its construction.
The officials of the DPWH also said that the remaining P180-million budget for the hospital for the year 2025 is yet to be bidded. The budget is intended for additional construction for the main building.
No budget yet for equipment, furniture, manpower
The DPWH said that if the P180-million budget that is available for 2025 be bidded out and implemented, the target completion is 2025. But the hospital will still not be operational.
“Still, P280-million is needed aside from the hospital equipment, furniture,” the DPWH said.
Borromeo-Lim said that the DoH has allotted P100-million for the hospital’s furniture and equipment.
According to City Councilor Jude Joseph David, the administration of former Mayor Cristy Angeles never allocated budget for the hospital’s manpower.
“No budget for manpower. As a matter of fact, the former mayor even vetoed the 2025 Tarlac City budget,” David said.
The Northern Builders, reportedly owned by former Mayor Angeles, was identified as the contractor and main supplier of the Tarlac City General Hospital.
As per Commission On Audit project billboards, Northern Builders
Some of the COA project billboards entry that Northern Builders cornered are—Main Building-Annex D (P97,950,967.39); Completion of Tarlac City General Hospital (P78,384,159.17); Tarlac City General Hospital Main Building-Annex E (P95,534,970.59); Tarlac City General Hospital Main Building-Annex G (P48,995,338.38) and the Tarlac City General Hospital-Annex C (P48,985,611.82).
Not ready by 2025
When Mayor Yap was asked if the hospital will be ready in 2025, she said, “Based on what we’ve seen and what documents says, it is not.”
‘While the physical infrastructure is important, much more important is the services that this can provide. Only the building intended for the Out Patient Department (OPD) can likely be of use at this point in time, but then again if the intent truly, is for this section to be operational this year, then, why isn’t there anything in the 2025 City Budget that provides for the hiring of the doctors and other medical personnel to support this,” she continued.
Yap also said that getting license and complying with the other requirements to operate a hospital takes time. She also said she has yet to see the feasibility study and the budgetary and operational plans of the City Hospital. “We can not sacrifice quality over speed specially so when there is so much more to be done as construction is still going on and medical equipment are yet to be procured, tested and set in place. “Yap said.
Yap’s health agenda for Tarlac City
Anchored on the mandate for Universal Health Care, Yap says beefing up the existing 10 Rural Health Units in the City is top priority. Quality health care says, is also making available the necessary medicines at RHUs level.
During her term, Yap says she will build at least 3 Meg RHUs to supplement the existing 10.
Asked if the SND system at the TPH will be extended to the City, Yap says it is very possible. She explained however, that what the SDN provides and mandate of the Universal Health Care by law are practically the same foremost of which is to “minimize out of pocket health care expense” which is why medicines and health care services are free.
“We will make sure this is done in the City, inclusively and without discrimination,” she said.
Asked again of there is a possibility of integrating or aligning the City Hospital with the TPH, Yap says “hospital management is in itself an ecosystem and like any ecosystem, the symbiotic relation of its elements produce better outcomes. For example, if the City Hospital will operate only the OPD, where will patient needing hospital confinement go, given the fact that the City Hospital is not yet ready for this? It is imperative that The City government link up with TPH.”
“For now,* Yap says, “it is time to roll up our sleeves and work together towards a transforming governance.
She further stressed that “Good government is a shared responsibility of leaders and the people, let us all work in that direction.”
